Weft bobbin changing apparatus



May 23, 1961 R. SENN WEFT YBOBBIN CHANGING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15, 1958 INVENTOR. AuDoA F si/v/v May 23, 1961 R. SENN 2,985,199

WEFT BOBBIN CHANGING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 15, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.3

INVENTOR! 90170.4 F S United States Patent WEFT BOBBIN CHANGING APPARATUS Rudolf Senn, Schaifhausen, Switzerland, assignor to Georg Fischer Aktiengesellschaft, Schatfhausen, Switzerland, a Swiss company Filed Aug. 13, 1958, Ser. No. 154,748

9 Claims. (Cl. 139-443) The present invention relates to an automatic weft bobbin changing apparatus for use in looms and more particularly to an automatic weft bobbin changing apparatus for a loom having two shuttles working one above the other in the same direction, both shuttle box compartments being arranged at the changing side and the bobbins in both shuttles have to be changed from one and the same bobbin carrier or magazine only one bobbin can be changed at a time.

It is therefore a primary object to provide for the control of the automatic changing of bobbins in a loom having a plurality of shuttles so as to ensure safe and reliable operation of the loom.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a control for the automatic changing of bob- .bins in a loom having a plurality of shuttles so as to effect this changing of the bobbins in the shuttles in a predetermined sequence if all of the bobbins in the shuttles become exhausted simultaneously.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for the control of the changing of bobbins in a loom having two shuttles in such a manner that also if both bobbins in the shuttles become exhausted and this state of the bobbins is sensed simultaneously by means which normally would initiate the changing of the respective bobbins, only one of the bobbins will be changed.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of control means for the automatic changing of bobbins in a loom having two shuttles, which will effect the changing of a bobbin in only a predetermined one of the shuttles if the bobbins in both of the shuttles are exhausted simultaneously.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic bobbin changing apparatus for multiple shuttle looms, which incorporates improved control means facilitating the changing of bobbins in the shuttles and sensing therewith a reliable and eflicient operation of the loom.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a control device for an automatically operating bobbin changing apparatus in a multiple shuttle loom and vice versa, and sensing means for initiating the rock- "ice which then prevents displacement of the upper shuttle box compartment below the changing hammer, the arrange- 'ment being such that, if both sensing means register changing apparatus in a two-shuttle loom of the kind specified including a spring loaded release lever which is lockable from a position of rest to set the automatic apparatus for bobbin changing, a spring-loaded toothedsegment lever which is also rockable away from a position of rest about the same axis and in the same direction as said release lever, a pinion in driven connection with said toothed-segment lever and operative, when the latter is rocked as aforesaid, vertically to adjust said apparatus from the upper to the lower bobbin changing position, means on said toothed-segment lever for entraining the release lever when the former is rocked, two hook lever mechanisms which are independently operable to displace the respective shuttle box compartments 'below the changing hammer during movement of the slay towards said apparatus, said hook lever mechanisms being held inoperative by abutment against the release and segment levers respectively, when the latter are in their positions of rest, and being further controlled by cam means arranged on said pinion to release only the lower shuttle box lever mechanism for operation when the apparatus is in the lower bobbin changing position ing of said release and segment levers respectively when the upper and lower bobbins are empty, the arrangement being such that on simultaneous operation of the sens- 'ing means forboth bobbins, both the release and segment levers are rocked and the control means takes up I the same setting as that required for changing the lower bobbin.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into effect, an embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side view of a loom comprising an automatic weft bobbin changing apparatus with associated control means in accordance with the invention, in the initial or rest position, the automatic bobbin changing apparatus being in its upper position.

Figure 2 is a View corresponding to Figure 1 illustrating the changing of bobbins in the upper shuttles, the

automatic bobbin changing apparatus being in the position of readiness for carrying out a changing operation.

7 lower shuttle as 5. An automatic bobbin changing apparatus generally indicated at 6 of conventional design is mounted on the loom by means of a pin 7. A lower loom shaft S'has keyed thereon a control cam disc 9. The slay 2 carries inpact member 110, the purpose of which will be described below.

The box compartments of the shuttles 4 and 5 are displaceable in their race board planes and are held in the position to which they have been displaced by springs which are not shown in the drawings. Extending from the box compartments are rods 10 and 1-1, respectively,

3 of two-armed levers 14, 15, and 16, 17, respectively, said levers being pivotally mounted on pins 18 and 19 respectively of a bearing bracket 20 of the slay 2. Mounted on the end of the lever arm is a pin 21, and a pin 22 is mounted on the end of the lever arm 17.

A bobbin carrier 24 is pivotally mounted on a pin 23 of the automatic bobbin changing apparatus and movable between two end-positions in a manner described below. The bobbin carrier 24 is shown to include a bobbin hammer or changing hammer generally indicated at 120 in the form of a bell crank lever pivotally mounted at 121. The hammer arm 122 thereof cooperates in known manner with a bobbin in the carrier for the changing at the carrier thereof to a respective shuttle. Actuating arm 123 of the hammer is hingedly connected to a transmission member 124 which is provided with two notches 27 at the end thereof. The notches 27 are adapted to cooperate with inpact member 110 whenthe parts 124 and 110 are in the position shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 to thereby actuate hammer 120. Transmission member 124 may be raised to an inoperative position by means of a link 125 hingedly connected with a two armed lever 126 pivotally mounted at the carrier 24. Articulated to the two armed lever 126 is a rod 25, the other end of which is journalled on a pin 26 of a bell crank lever "27 mounted on the pin 7. Articulated on a pin 28 of the bell crank lever 27 is a rod 29, the other end of which is connected, by a pin 30, to one arm of a bell crank lever 31 which is arranged on a pivot 32 of the loom frame 1. The other arm of the bell crank lever 31 carries a pin 33 to which is connected a rod 34, the other end of which is mounted, by means of a pin 35, on a releasing lever 36. The releasing lever 36 is in turn mounted on a pin 37 of the loom frame 1. Also mounted on the pin 37 is an oscillating lever or eccentric bell crank lever 38 which on one of its arms carries a roller 39 which engages in the control cam 9, the back 40 of the end portion of the other arm of lever 38 hearing against a nose 41 of the releasing lever 36; the latter also has a further nose 42. The eccentric bell crank lever 36 has, opposite the back 40, a catch 43 for a latch which will be described hereinafter.

Articulated by means of a pin 44 on the automatic bobbin changing apparatus 6 is a rod 45, the other end of which leads to a connecting pin 46 on a bell crank lever 47 which is mounted at 48 on the loom frame 1. Held in a link 49 formed in the bell crank lever 47 is a roller 50 which is carried on a rod 51, said rod being carried eccentrically by means of a crank pin 52, on a pinion 53 which is mounted on a shaft 54 of the loom frame 1. Situated on the hub of the pinion 53, are peripheral control cams 55 and 56 for stop means shown as hook levers 64, 65, the cams being axially and angularly offset. The pinion 53 meshes with a toothed segment 57 of a toothed-segment releasing lever 58 which is also mounted on the pin 37. The toothed-segment releasing lever 58 further includes a nose 59, and it is also equipped with a catch pin 60 for moving the releasing lever 36.

A tension spring 6 1 is fixed at one end to the releasing lever 36 and at the other end to the loom frame 1. A tension spring 62 is similarly fixed at one end to the toothed-segment releasing lever 58 and to the loom frame 1 at the other end. Mounted on a pin 63 which is fixed on the loom frame 1 are the hook levers 64 and 65 having a pivoting range limited by a stop 66. The releasing levers 36 and 58 are, as aforesaid, provided with the noses 42 and 59 and act therewith on hook levers 64 and 65 which are associated with the said noses, and the said hook levers are detained in the rest position against the stop 66 by the influence of springs 61 and 62, so that consequently the hook levers 64 and 65 cannot be operatively connected to the pins 21, 22 of the lever arms 15 or 17. One arm of each lever 64 and 65 is constructed as a hook 67 and 68 respectively. The other arms 69, 70 of the levers 64, 65 are constructed as ab-utments for the noses 59, 42 of the toothed-segment releasing lever 58 and the releasing lever 36 respectively.

A coupling latch 71 is pivotally carried by means of the pin 72 on the releasing lever 36 and is rocked in the counterclockwise direction by torsion spring 73 (Figure 1). A similar coupling latch 74 is also pivotally carried by means of a pin 75 on the toothed-segment reieasing lever 58 and is rocked in the counter-clockwise direction by a torsion spring 76 (Figure 2). The coupling latch 71 comprises a nose 77 for engaging with the catch 43 of the eccentric bell crank lever 38 with which (Figure 5) the nose 78 of the coupling latch 74 can also come into engagement. The upper surface 79 of the coupling latch 71 serves as a riding surface for the roller 81 of a trigger bell crank lever 82 which is mounted at 83 on the loom frame 1 and the other arm. of which forms an abutment 84 for a trigger latch .85 which is mounted on a pin 86 on the loom frame 1. Suspended on a pin 87 are springs 88 and 89, the spring 88 being anchored at its other end to the bell crank lever 82 and the spring89 to the trigger latch 85. A pull rod 91 of a solenoid 92 is connected by a pivot pin to the trigger ,latch 85. V

The upper surface 80 of the coupling latch 74 serves as a riding surface for the roller 93 of a trigger bell crank lever 94 which is mounted at 83 on the loom frame 1 and the other arm of which forms an abutment 95 for a latch 96 which is mounted on a pin 86 on the loom frame 1. Suspended on the pin 97 are springs 98 and 99, the spring 98 being anchored at its other end to the trigger bell crank lever 94 and the spring 99 to the latch 96. A pull rod 101 of a solenoid 102 is connected to the latch 96 by means of the pivot pin 100.

The two shuttles are driven simultaneously and in the same direction through the double shed.

Provided at one side of the loom for both box compartments are sensing means for exploring the weft bobbins, said means being adapted tooperate independently of one another and acting in the present case as closing contacts for a sensing circuit which is allocated to each appropriate shuttle.

More particularly the solenoid 92 is connected to a sensing member 104 cooperating with the upper shuttle 4 and the solenoid 102 to a sensing member 105 cooperating with the lower shuttle 5. The sensing members 104 and 10 5 are of conventional design and serve to connect their respective solenoids with the source of electric current 107 by way of the bobbin when the yarn thereon is spent.

In Figure 1 all the parts are illustrated as in the rest or initial position.

The automatic bobbin changing apparatus 6 is in its upper position of rest, i.e., no change in its position in the vertical sense is required for bobbin changing in the shuttle 4. The eccentric lever 38 engages with its roller 39 in the closed control cam disc 9, which travels on the lower loom shaft 8 at half the speed of rotation of the crank shaft.

All the parts illustrated in Figure l are situated at the loom side opposite to the weft sensing members.

Referring now to Figure 2 for the changing operation for the upper shuttle 4:

When the bobbin in the shuttle 4 (at the side of the loom opposite to the automatic changing apparatus) becomes exhausted, sensing member 104 closes the circuit of the solenoid 92 whereby the latter is energized .and latch 95 is lifted through the agency of the pull rod 91 into the position illustrated in chain-dotted lines, and the bell crank lever 82 is released. The trigger bell crank lever 82 pressed the latch 71 downwardly with its roller 81, under the influence of the spring 88, overcoming the force of the torsion spring 73. In this operation the latch 71 comes into engagement with the catch 43 of the eccentric lever 38. In the controlled movement of this eccentric lever 38, the lever 36 is'moved through the agency of the latch 71. As a result, the automatic device 6 is brought into the position of readiness for bobbin changing by means of the rod 34, bell crank levers 31, rod 29, bell crank lever 27 and rod 25, to thereby position transmission member 124 in its operative position for actuating hammer 120* when being acted upon by impact member 110 on the slay.

The hook lever 65, which is pivotally mounted on the pin 63 on the loom frame 1, is released by the movement of the nose 42 of lever 36, and falls downwardly to bear on the pin 21 of the lever arm 15.

In the following movement of the slay 2 towards the automatic device 6, the pin 21 engages the hook 68 of the lever 65 and is held. During the further movement of the slay 2 therefore, the lever 14, 15 pivots about the pin 18 in a counter-clockwise direction and, by means of the rod 10, pushes the box compartment with the shuttle 4 below the'bobbin carrier which remains in its upper position.

The weft bobbin is then changed in known manner by the actuation of hammer 120 to therewith transfer a new bobbin from carrier 24 to the shuttle in the upper box compartment to eject the spent bobbin therefrom.

Then, by means of the closed cam track of the cam disc 9, all the control parts, i.e., the lever 36 and the hook lever 65 and, by way of the rod 34, the changeinitiating parts in the automatic device 6, also are returned once more to their position of rest. Upon the return movement of the slay 2, the box compartment of the shuttle 4 returns to its initial position owing to the action of springs which are not shown in the drawings. The transmission member is again raised to its inoperative position.

Meanwhile, the trigger bell crank lever 82 has already .returned to its initial position and is locked in this position by the trigger latch 85 as a result of the action of the draw spring 89, the operation being as follows:

After the latch 71 has engaged the catch 43, lever 38 begins its pivoting movement owing to the appropriately calculated eccentric characteristics of the cam 9. The upper surface 79 of the latch 71 is so fashioned as a riding surface for the roller 81 of the trigger bell crank lever 82, that the pivoting movement of the lever 3-6 and thus of the latch 71 about the pin 37 raises the roller 81 and turns the trigger bell crank lever 82 so far that the trigger latch 85 can engage on the abutment 84 of the trigger bell crank lever 82.

Referring now to Figure 3 for the changing operation for the lower shuttle:

When the bobbin becomes exhausted in the shuttle 5 the circuit of the solenoid 1 02 is closed by sensing member 105 whereby the latch 96 is lifted by means of the pull rod 101 into the position illustrated in chaindotted lines, and the trigger bell crank lever 94 is released. The latter with its roller 93, under the influence of the spring 98, presses the latch 74 downwardly, overcoming the torsion spring 76. In this operation the latch 74 comes into engagement with the catch 43 of the lever 38. During the movement of the lever 38 which follows, the lever 58 is engaged through the agency of the latch 74 and, owing to the pin 60 fixed on the lever 58, the lever 36 is also carried along. The object of the movement of the lever 36 has been explained hereinbefore. The lever 58 is provided with a toothed segment 57 which co-operates with the pinion 53. Eccentrically fixed on the pinion 53 is the crank pin 52. By means of the movement of the lever 58, the pinion 53 is now rotated through' 180 (Figure 3) and the rod 51 is moved through twice the crank radius. Due to this movement of the rod 51, through the agency of the bell crank lever 47 and the rod 45, the automatic device 6 which is pivotally mounted on'the pin 7 is pivoted from the upper position Fig. 3, for changing of a bobbin in the lower shuttle 5. Both hook levers 64, 67 and 65, 66 are released due to the movement of the lever 36 and of the lever 58.

In order that only the hook 67 will engage with the pin 22, the pinion 53 is provided with control cams 55 and 56. The rotational movement of the pinion 53 through 180 brings the control cam 56 into the operative position (Figure 3) relatively to the hook lever 65 and prevents the hook 68 from coming into engagement with the pin 21 of the lever 14, 15. During the rotational movement of the pinion 53 through 180 the control .cam 55 frees the hook lever 64, 67, which falls downwardly and comes to bear against the pin 22 of the lever 16, 17. During the following movement of the slay 2 towards the automatic device 6, the pin 22 engages the hook lever 64, 67 and is held. During the further movement of the slay 2, therefore, the lever 16, 17 rotates about the pin 19 and, by way of the rod 11, pushes the box compartment with the shuttle 5 below the bobbin carrier 24 now situated in its lower position.

' The weft bobbin in the shuttle 5 is now changed in known manner, already described in connection with the changing of a bobbin in the upper shuttle 4.

All the control parts, i.e., lever 36 and lever 58 with toothed segment 57 and hook lever 64, 67, are returned jinto the position of rest by means of the closed cam track of the cam disc 9. The pinion 53 turns back through 180 into the initial position, whereupon the bobbin carrier 24 is again swung back into its upper position. -If the bobbins in both shuttles happen to run empty at the same time i.e. if both the feelers simultaneously close the circuits of the solenoids 92 and 102, both latches and 96 are lifted free and release both bell crank levers 82 and 94. Both latches 71 and 74 are thus pressed in the downward direction and brought into engagement with the catch 43. During the following movement of the lever 38, the levers 36 and 58 are moved through the agency of the latches 71 and 74, i.e., the same control movements are carried out as if only the circuit of the solenoid 102 had been closed. Therefore,

the bobbin in the shuttle 5 is changed first and, the bobbin .as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. Control means for an automatic weft bobbin changing apparatus having a changing hammer, and upper and lower shuttle box lever mechanisms for upper and lower vbobbins, respectively, in a two-shuttle loom having a slay and shuttle box compartments comprising a spring loaded release lever which is rockable about an axis from a position of rest to set the automatic apparatus for bobbin changing, a spring-loaded toothed-segment lever which is also rockable away from a position of rest about said axis and in the same direction as said release lever, a pinion in driven connection with said toothed-segment lever and operative, when the latter is rocked as aforesaid, vertically to adjust said apparatus from an upper to a lower bobbin changing position, means on said toothed-segment lever for entraining the release lever when the former is rocked, two hook lever mechanisms which are independently operable to displace the respective shuttle box compartments below said changing hammer during movement of said slay towards said apparatus said hook lever mechanisms being held into release only said upper shuttle box lever mechanism for operation where said apparatus is in the upper bobbin changing posit-ion and sensing means for initiating the rocking of said release lever and said segment lever respectively when said upper and lower bobbins are empty, the arrangement being such that on simultaneous operation of said sensing means for both bobbins, both said release lever and said segment lever are rocked and said control means takes up the same setting as that required for changing said lower bobbin.

2. Control means according to claim 1, wherein coupling latches are pivotally mounted one on each of said release lever and said toothed-segment lever, said coupling latches each being engageable, against spring influence, with driving means for rocking said levers, each latch being movable into engagement with said driving means by a spring influenced arresting lever controlled by a solenoid connected in a bobbin sensing circuit.

3. Control means according to claim 2, wherein said coupling latches have upper edges fashioned as riding surfaces for rollers on said arresting levers.

4. Control means according to claim 3, wherein said driving means comprises a bell crank lever and a driven cam disc engaged by a roller on one arm of said bell crank lever to rock the latter, the other arm of said bell crank lever being'engageable by said latches.

5. Control means according to claim 1 wherein said loom includes a pinion, said toothed-segment lever including a toothed segment which meshes with said pinion.

6. Control means according to claim 5 wherein said toothed-segment lever includes a catch pin for entraining said release lever.

7. An automatic weft bobbin changing apparatus of a loom having a first shuttle and a second shuttle arranged in respective first and second box compartments, and an oscillating slay carrying said shuttles in said box compartments for displacement therein between an operating position and a changing position, comprising a bobbin carrier moveable between a first feeding position and a second feeding position and cooperating in a predetermined position of said slay with said first shuttle when in said first feeding position, and with said second shuttle when in said second feeding position thereof for feeding a weft bobbin to the respective one of said shuttles when in said respective changing positions thereof, means for moving said bobbin carrier between said first and second feeding positions, first and second displacing means for displacement of' said first and second shuttles, respectively, between said operating position and said changing position, said displacing means being carried by said slay, operable hammer means attached to said bobbin carrier for engaging and feeding a weft bobbin from said carrier to a respective one of said shuttles and to eject a spent bobbin from the latter, means for operating said hammer means, first and second sensing means for said first and second shuttles, respectively, and cooperating with respective weft bobbins thereof to sense when the latter are spent, first and second trigger means connectcd with said first and second sensing means, respectively, for actuation thereby upon sensing of a spent bobbin in said respective shuttles, first and second coupling means in engagement with said first and second trigger means, respectively for operation thereby, continuously rotating cam means, oscillating follower means in driven engagement with said cam means and engaging said first and second coupling means when the latter are operated by Said first and second trigger means, respec tively, first and second releasing means connected to said first and second coupling means for movement therewith when said first and second coupling means, respectively, are engaged by said oscillating follower means, first and second stop means movable between an operative and an inoperative position, said first and second stop means being engaged to be held in said inoperative position by said first and second releasing means, respectively, and adapted to be engaged in said operative position with said first and second displacing means, respectively, when said slay reaches said predetermined position to thereby initiate displacement of said first and second shuttles in said first and second box compartments, respectively, from said operating position'into; said changing position; control means preventing the simultaneous changing of a weft bobbin in said first shuttle and in said second shuttle and said control means operatively connected with said first releasing means and operable thereby when said first releasing means are moved by said first coupling means to retain said second stop means in said inoperative position when the latter are released by said second releasing means upon sensing of a spent bobbin in said second shuttle by said second sensing means, and actuating means for said bobbin carrier moving means connected to said control means and eifecting actuation of said moving means in dependency of the operation of said control means, whereby said bobbin carrier will be held in said first changing position for the changing of a weft bobbin in said first shuttle.

8. An automatic weft bobbin changing apparatus of a loom having a first shuttle and a second shuttle, and an oscillating slay carrying said shuttles for displacement thereon between an operating position and a changing position, comprising a bobbin carrier movable between a first feeding position and a second feeding position and cooperating in a predetermined position of said slay with said first shuttle when in said first feeding position, and with said second shuttle when in said second feeding position thereof for feeding a weft bobbin to the respective one of said shuttles when in said respective changing positions thereof, means for moving said bobbin carrier between said first and second feeding positions, first and second displacing means for displacement of saidfirst and second shuttles, respectively, between said operating position and said changing position, said displacing means being carried by said slay, operable hammer means attached to said bobbin carrier for engaging and feeding a bobbin from said canrier to a respective one of said shuttles and to eject a spent bobbin from the latter, means for operating said. hammer means cooperating with said slay when the latter has reached said predetermined position thereof, first and second sensing means for said first and second shuttles, respectively, and cooperating with respective weft bobbins thereof to sense when the latter are. spent, first and second trigger means connected with said first and second sensing means, respectively, for actuation thereby upon sensing of a spent bobbin in said respective shuttles, first and second coupling means in engagement with said first and second trigger means, respectively, for operation thereby, continuously rotating cam means, oscillating follower means in driven engagement with said cam means and engaging said first and second coupling means when the latter are operated by said first and second trigger means, respectively, first and second releasing means connected to said first and second coupling means for movement therewith when said first and second coupling means, respectively, are engaged by said oscillating follower means, first and second stop means movable between an operative and an inoperative position, said first and second stop means being engaged to be held in said inoperative position by said first and second releasing means, respectively, and adapted to be engaged in said operative position with said first and second displacing means, respectively, when said slay reaches said predetermined position to thereby initiate displacement of said first and second shuttles from said operating position into said changing position; control means operatively connected with said first releasing means and operable thereby when said first releasing means are moved by said first coupling means to retain said second stop means in said inoperative position when the latter are released by said second releasing means upon simultaneous sensing of a spent bobbin in said first and second shuttle by said first and second sensing means, respectively, and actuating means for said bobbin carrier moving means connected to said control means and effecting actuation of said moving means in dependency of the operation of said control means, said means for operating said hammer means being connected with said second releasing means for control thereby, so that said weft bobbin in said first shuttle will be changed by said hammer means when said slay has reached said predetermined position.

9. In a weft bobbin changing apparatus for looms including two shuttles, said apparatus having a bobbin storage means movable between two positions and cooperating in said respective positions with respective ones of said shuttles for feeding of bobbins thereto, moving means connected with said storage means for moving the latter between said two positions, changing means cooperating with said storage means and with said respective shuttles, respective sensing means for each of said shuttles to sense a spent bobbin therein, and respective actuating means for each of said shuttles selectively interconnecting said changing means with respective ones of said sensing 10 means, to be operated thereby when the bobbin in said respective shuttle is spent; a control device operable upon simultaneous sensing of a spent bobbin by both of said sensing means and including operable means operatively connected with one of said actuating means and cooperating with the other of said actuating means, said operable means preventing, when operated, said other actuating means from becoming connected with said changing means and permitting only one of said sensing means to effect changing of a bobbin in the respective shuttle fed from said storage means to said one actuating means, said moving means being connected with said operable means to thereby hold said storage means in the position for cooperating with said respective shuttle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hewton Dec. 4, 1951 

